Nyx folded her arms across her chest and waited to be graced with patience. She thrummed her fingertips in rhythm with her heartbeat—relaxed, not racing, as it had been the first time she stormed the gates of the Cartel with Jet.

Since, she’d sampled the goods as a buyer might have a taste of china white before committing to the purchase. It wasn’t as though she hadn’t enjoyed Rayce—because, well, let’s face it, what wasn’t to enjoy? Strong, sexy as hell, and willing and able to handle her wildest side, he was everything a woman like her could hope for. Yet, still he failed the ultimate test—her sisters.

With boyfriends of Fae decent, dating their enemy was not a safe option for anyone involved. As the last in the coven to find her mate, Nyx’s willingness to leave it to destiny wasn’t an option and came with unspoken expectations.

Family barbecues would never be the same if she continued to fraternize with the head drug lord, at least not whilst the Fae insisted on intercepting and ripping off their shipments. Bloodshed was bound to be the end result—not something she was willing to bring to the party.

Rayce was fun to indulge in, whilst it lasted, but enough was enough.

“Let’s just say—” she paused in search of a generic excuse. “It’s not you—it’s me.” The lamest of them all rolled off her tongue as convincing as if she meant it.

Rayce frowned and shook his head. “You have to do better than that, baby, we’re too good for each other and you know it. Try again.” He took a step closer and, mimicking her stance, arms crossed over his chest and head tilted to one side. The trace of a smile teased the corners of his lips, and Nyx was tempted to lean in for one last taste.

“My sisters are entwined in a web with the Fae, and you thugs don’t stand a chance against them. So excuse me if you think we have a better solution than to end what has barely begun.” There was weakness in her words, she heard it and knew he had too. Ending a relationship to suit her sisters almost didn’t sit well with her and there was no doubt Rayce would be as understanding.

He tipped his head back and laughed. “You underestimate me, pretty little witch. You think I can’t crush those bastard faeries if I want to?”

It was her turn to laugh. “What’s your plan? They naturally heal from bullet wounds to the chest. Immortality has one up on anything you can serve.” He couldn’t be blamed for being naïve. She was too upon first contact with the Fae, but since she learnt that some legends went deeper than stories shared around a campfire. She feared the only way Rayce would believe her would be from six feet under the earth’s surface, and she wasn’t going to live with the guilt of sending him to his grave, no matter how good the sex was.

“We have methods even a Fae couldn’t survive.” He sniggered, but worry touched his eyes.

She need not possess Dami’s empathic ability to pick up on his fear.

Fear was not something she regarded as weakness, it would serve him well to be wary of the unknown. Most of what made up the Fae was exactly that. Mysterious and cunning was the tip of the iceberg. Even her sisters, romantically involved as they were, weren’t privy to the inner workings of their kind.

Nyx had witnessed few situations in which the coven had evoked enough power to interfere with their grand plans. But, for the most part, the Fae King and his men were always one step ahead of them.

Witches had means to ensure they were more resilient and in tune than the common folk. Rayce, although of the tougher crowd, fit the category of common folk. Sex appeal may have been a weapon successfully used against her, but his rough around the edges charm, and body ripped with muscles, wasn’t lethal to all.

“Besides, if those bitches you call your sisters care about you and want you to be happy, as they claim they do, they’d make allowances for us. Surely they could leash their men, if they dare call themselves witches at all.”

Insults flung at the Fae were one thing, even the few she’d grown to tolerate for the sake of coven harmony. Directed at her sisters was as if he’d inflicted an attack on her personally.

Quick as the words flowed from his mouth, Nyx spun and swiped his feet from under him. Flat on his back she pressed her boot to his throat, restricting his airflow. Funny how life always seemed to turn a full circle, as the wheel of the year, and she was back to where it had begun. The events that went on in between faded to white noise and were of little importance now.

“I’d be careful what you say about a witch’s sisters if I were you, Rayce.” She pressed a little firmer and angled her head to better watch his face discolor to shades of purple. “Karma has a way of catching up on you, but us witches, we move a lot faster, with or without magic.” Not wanting to hurt him really, she removed her foot and took a step back. Insults were skin deep and, by dropping him on his ass, she could only guess his ego was suffering a more severe blow.

“You think because I screwed you that your actions don’t warrant consequences.” He drew in a deep breath then flipped himself to standing in one swift movement. His agility took her by surprise, but the gun he pulled didn’t.

Her gifts outshone his threat and from where she stood she jerked the gun from his grip and sent it across the room.

“What the fuck? You’re going to regret fucking with me, Nyx.”

Not satisfied he’d sampled enough of what she was capable of she whipped the rug from under him. Flat on his back again, only this time she hadn’t moved an inch. “The mind is a powerful tool. My body you may have screwed, but it’s my mind you’d best not fuck with.” Nyx grinned. “Don’t underestimate the power of witches. Unlike my sisters, I get off on teaching the uneducated a lesson.” She winked at him before spinning on her heels and heading for the door.

On his back was the only place Rayce held any meaning for her, so it seemed fit to leave him in exactly that position, with the image firmly stamped in her memory.